Blogging for the Technically Challenged

I went to a free blogging workshop today taught by Mr. John Saddington. It was most helpful, as I the biggest take away from his lesson was to just publish! I learned some other valuable information, for example… consistency in my publishing yet isn’t this true in all areas of life. Another great suggestion he made was having several categories of which to focus on in my writing. I must admit this was very helpful because us dreamers can really get caught up…dreaming.

I’m working on putting more action behind the dreams though, which is why I went to the workshop to begin with!

It was a good event held at C4 Atlanta, an organization that offers opportunities for artists to grow. I look forward to attending future events they may have there.

Just to touch on the subject in my last post, being Black in America. I have been speaking with various friends and associates about the movie The Butler. I guess because of the warm and fuzzies I had after watching the piece I felt all Black Americans would feel the same but I am sure you know where I am headed with this discourse.

So there was a 5 minute break during the event and I attempted to strike up a conversation with another Black young lady I was sitting next to about the movie. I asked her if she had seen the movie and she replied back saying she had not and wasn’t sure if she was going to. She then began to tell me how she wished that we could move on and how she was tired of all the time period pieces on Black life in American.

I was a bit annoyed by her response and was tempted to ask if she went to see Django, but asked her instead if she had seen Fruitvale Station.

After our brief and dry conversation, Mr. Saddington (our guest speaker) had returned to take questions but it took me a minute to reengaged into the presentation. I had to shake her neg vibes off. I believe I felt them prior to the convo. but I ignored them because I called myself trying not to judge folk based off of their demeanor.

I’ve been more aware of my responses to others lately and by the time I got home I was still trying to figure out why I was annoyed by the young lady’s comment.

It wasn’t because she disagreed with me but I believe more so because she is reflecting a trend in I am noticing in some young Black Americans who diminish our history to tabloid news and says things like “get over it.”.

Now I found it interesting that she then stated we need to figure out how to move on from here but it bewilders me on how she can not see how one connects to the other. I can only assume the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s I have a Dream speech and the March on Washington is a useless measurement stick of how far our community has come in her eyes. I am just too through but if I am wrong someone please share your opinion.

Only a Black American would disvalue their own history that has been a source of encouragement to other people throughout the world! I do appreciate my history, coming from a city that still struggles with racism and not truly learning about my people’s contribution to society (in depth) until my adult years; the last thing I would do is belittle it but I embrace it close to my bosom like a newborn.

Like the relevance of knowing the history of the holocaust, the civil war, and Roe vs Wade. I will know and share my history but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.